Sometimes you just want to slap them

I was riding the other day and I was behind the fairly new Harley, and I was reminded of how many people buy the bike to say look at me. Harley is an amazing bike, the touring line can outmaneuver just about any other bike out there. All the models handle well and for the most part have a fantastic power plant. Riding home the other night I came up behind a couple who l just want to slap. I know what happened, growing up this bike owner heard Harleys running around with loud exhaust, blipping their throttles and downshifting. They fell in love with the sound. The problem is they were listening to guys who bought their bikes in the eighties or nineties. You see those guys bought their bikes because they grew up hearing Harley's with loud exhaust and people blipping the throttle while downshifting. What neither of these two  generations of riders know is that bikes up until the seventies were carbureted.

You see back then the guys didn't blip the throttle because it sounded cool, it was done to keep the bike running. What they probably don't remember is the cross handed adjusting that went with it, your buddies on their Hondas or Triumphs would pull up to the light looking around, taking in the sights, while you would have your left hand crossed over holding the front brake while you were bent down making carb adjustments with your right hand. Now, unless you own an older bike, the motorcycles of today are fuel injected. This means it's all controlled by sensors and computers.

So there's no reason to blip the throttle other than making that sound, that Harley sound. Of course if you're having problems with a bike trying to keep it running and you didn't remove the fuel injection and install a Keihin Carb, or remove the synchros from the transmission so you have to double clutch, there is no reason for the blip,so  I suggest having the bike looked at, you may have a vacuum leak.

Also the older bikes the Clutch setup was different, dry vs wet. The throttle blip separated the plates for the downshift, but once again, that was all pre-90's

Don't get me wrong, I like loud exhaust and I don't mind the occasional throttle blip but here's a tip... it didn't have to be done on every down shift, 5th to 4th, 4th to 3rd, 3rd to 2nd, 2nd to 1st, PICK ONE, not every damn gear change, doing it every time makes you sound like a douche just trying to say look at me, which by the way, you are. The guy behind you, listening to your over exuberant mating call just might want to slap you, or shoot you, (you never know who's around).

This brings me to the other imponderable, 30, 60, 160, or 3 bikes are parked along the side of the road at a bar or a coffee shop, why is it another bike passing by or leaving but not associated with the group has to depart Full Throttle? Is this because they think they're the only ones that can do it. How many times have you been standing in the group and that happens do all the people in the group get all excited and stand around impressed? No it is usually the opposite isn't it, more comments along the lines of "Oooo we're impressed" or "Damn,can't do that with mine".

Here's a life tip, know who you're trying to impress. Because otherwise it works opposite.

And newbies... When you are riding, DON'T ride on the right side of the lane, especially in busy areas where there are a lot of intersections and driveways.

Riding further left allows you a longer sight line, not only do you see a vehicle pulling out sooner, they see you sooner. This allows you a few more feet of reaction and stopping time. Sometimes a couple of feet is the difference between cussing someone out and getting a ride to the hospital.